The new invention, intituled, calligraphia: or, the arte of faire writing vvherein is comprehended the whole necessarie rules thereof; by which anie who is capable and carefull to learne, may without the helpe of any other teacher, under God, both bee informed concerning the right writing of the most usuall characters in the world; and perfectly instructed how to write one of the most frequent in Europe, called the secretarie. ... By His Majesties scribe, Master David Browne.

I.

SOme doe extenuate the Commendation of the Arte of fayre Writing, and say, What needeth it to bee so highlie extolled, and much set by, since it is common? Vnto whom I answere: It is so farre from beeing common, that scarcelie one of an hundreth who haue the Name of Fayre Writers,

knoweth the Theoricke thereof perfectlie, without the which (as a thing verie expedient) they can hardlie bee perfect: and farre lesse the Common sorte, who content themselues with the common Practise, which is full of absurdnesse and incongruitie: as is probable by eyther of their VVorkes, who list to trye them on the former Touch∣stone, or conferre them with the preceeding Grammati∣call Preceptes.